Cookbook:Cracker

A cracker is a type of thin, savory, low-moisture baked good.

Characteristics
Typically crackers are all thin (on the order of a few millimeters), crisp, and generally unsweetened. They may contain add-ins or garnishes, such as nuts, seeds, and fruits. The holes in many varieties of cracker are called "docking" holes—they are placed in the dough to stop air pockets from forming in the cracker while baking.

Cream crackers are a mild, yeasted wheat cracker, with a slightly flaky texture due to lamination of the dough. They typically have blisters over the surface. Like cream crackers, soda crackers are another mild wheat cracker made from yeasted dough. However, they are slightly alkaline. Water crackers are quite bland and somewhat hard, with very low fat content and blistering over the surface. Savory crackers have a wide range of examples, but in general they are tender and have a higher fat content than other varieties. They often have a range of flavors, add-ins, and garnishes, and they may even be sandwiched with a filling. Crispbread are dense and dry, often made with rye or other flavorful flours. Toasts are slices of risen bread loaves that are toasted and fully dried out. Rice crackers come in a variety of shapes and flavors.

Selection and storage
Due to their very low moisture content, crackers have a very long shelf life. The more fat a cracker has in it, the greater the risk of it oxidizing, which worsens the flavor and shortens the shelf life. Keep all crackers in an airtight container away from ambient air or moisture, both of which can cause crackers to stale and lose their crisp texture.

Use
Crackers often serve as vehicles for other foods, such as cheese, pâtés, mousse, dips, and more. Saltine and oyster crackers are often used in or served with soup to provide contrasting texture. Graham crackers are sweetened and often used in desserts to provide texture and structure, such as in crumb crusts.